Tuesday, May 12, 2009

I love cooking with cast iron pans, but I now have a ceramic topped stove and the user's manual explicitly forbids the using of the cast iron. That means I have to use the BBQ when I want to cook with cast iron. Of course, you can use the stove if you want to. I think the lemon and Dijon work well with the two kinds of potatoes, making this a nice spring dish. Well, if potatoes and lemons remind you of spring.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6-8

- 2 tbsp oil (more if needed)

- 1 pkg extra firm tofu, cubed

- 3 leeks, thinly sliced (white and light green part)

- juice of 4 lemons

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved

- 4 small sweet potatoes, thinly sliced

- 1 cup white wine (more as needed)

- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

- salt and white pepper to taste

- 1/4 cup chopped parsley

METHOD

1. Place a large cast iron over a BBQ grill set to medium heat (around 450 degrees). Or, put it on the stove over medium heat.

2. Heat oil and fry tofu cubes until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Add more oil, if needed, and saute leeks for about 5 mins, until then soften. Add lemon juice and cook for 2 mins.

3. Add garlic and Yukon Gold potatoes along with some of the wine. Cook for 10 mins, stirring regularly, and adding more wine if things get too dry. Close the BBQ lid in between stirs.

4. Add tofu back to the pan along with the sweet potatoes. Cook for 15-20 mins, or until potatoes are cooked through. Keep adding wine when needed (like you would a risotto).

5. Stir in Dijon, season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in parsley, and serve.

This sounds delicious. I think my kids would really like this as well. I'll have to add this to the list of many of your recipes I still need to make!!

As for the cast iron on ceramic. I have ceramic as well, and I do use cast iron on it. I've never had any problems with it, just don't shake it around on the stove. However, ceramic was what was here when I bought this house and I hate it, so I figure I can get a new stove if I ruin this one, so I'm not all that careful with it.

I just came across your blog and wow -- you are such an inspiration! Thank you for all the work you obviously have put into making this blog, on top of being a great chef to your family. And great photo talent, too. :) Can't wait to page through your archives!

So, I'm no expert on ceramic cooktops but after doing some quick research online I found a lot of people claiming to use cast iron on them without issue. I said to heck with it and kept using my cast iron. I've been using it for almost a year without issue. I just don't slide the pan and I'm sure to be gentle when I lift it off or put it back down.

My in-laws got a set of cast iron pans about six months ago and they too have a ceramic cooktop and have had no problems.

Maybe some brands of the ceramic cooktops are more fragile than others? Maybe they make them better now than years back? Or maybe I'm just lucky so far. Just thought I'd mention it...

I did this last night, and YUM. I cooked it on my gas stove and quickly realized I was almost out of white wine. So it ended up with quite a bit of cooking sherry in it, too ... not the same flavor, but it turned out so so good! Thanks!